Transition from crowd to audience | Making the opening transition

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This page is for any of you who are running out of time and need some help with the opening cues for your show. To jump right to it, click Making The Opening Transition. Keep reading if you’re interested in the reasoning for the procedure.

Transition from crowd to audience

Think of your experience when you enter the cinema before the movie begins. The audience or house lights are on. Music is playing and there is some sort of visual display on the screen. The space has the energy of sound and sight. When show time arrives, the house lights dim, the music changes, and the screen lights up with the first event.

This allows people to shift into being an audience. Their focus changes from each other and the space around them to the screen. You want the same for those attending your show. With the first few lighting and sound cues, you can help them make the transition smoothly and quickly from the outside world to the theatre and then to the stage.

Making the opening transition

Conditions
The show begins at 8 pm.

You’ve requested and approved some:


The intensity of sound or lights and timing of each step in the transition is not included unless otherwise indicated.

Preshow music starts at 7:29. Doors open to the public at 7:30. Houselights are at 100%. Curtain or stage warmers are on.

Opening transition begins at 8 pm.

To make the opening transition:

1. Fade the house lights from 100% to 50%.
2. Close the doors to the auditorium.
3. Count 10 seconds.
4. Fade the house lights from 50% to zero.
5. Cross fade the opening music in with the preshow music out.
6. Fade the curtain or stage warmers out.
   1. If there is a main curtain, open it.
   2. If not, proceed to step 7.
7. Cross fade the opening lights in with the opening music out.

The show is up and running.

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